: a polite expression of one's gratitude

Examples of thank-you in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Gosling then handed a bouquet of flowers and thank-you card to a woman in the audience pass around. Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 20 Apr. 2026 Jehosheba’s mother has her daughter recite an ingratiating thank-you speech to the Aunts. Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Apr. 2026 That mistake was, unfortunately, not realized until the La La Land cast had already come onto the stage and begun giving their thank-you speeches. Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026 At Lang Van, an unassuming Vietnamese restaurant in the Plaza-Shamrock neighborhood, the walls are covered with Christmas cards and thank-you notes. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for thank-you

Word History

Etymology

from the phrase thank you used in expressing gratitude

First Known Use

1792, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thank-you was in 1792

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Cite this Entry

“Thank-you.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thank-you. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

thank-you

noun
ˈthaŋ-ˌkyü
: a polite expression of one's gratitude
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